Why is it folks are already kicking dirt on the Flyers casket because of the Capitals schedule, do you all put that much stock into Timmy P’s hockey mind?This is what the Caps have for their final 7

(1)3-2-2 Thrashers
(2)2-3-1 Panthers
(2)4-2-0 Lightning
(2)2-4-0 Hurricanes (1-3-0 with Boudreau as coach)

Sorry, that’s not a slam dunk or a push-over schedule.

The Panthers are 7-2-1 in their last 10 and brawling for a playoff spot.
The Canes have had the Caps number all season..Boudreau-be-damned.
and it’s not like they’re running away witht he season series against the Thrashers either.

The Flyers don’t have an easy road in-front of them by any means

(2)1-5-0 Devils
(2)1-3-2 Rangers
(2)4-2-0 Penguins
(2)5-1-0 Islanders

But I’m not sure how the Caps have a better shot.

(1)3-2-2 Thrashers W
(2)2-3-1 Panthers W – L
(2)4-2-0 Lightning W – W
(2)2-4-0 Hurricanes L – L

(2)1-5-0 Devils L – L
(2)1-3-2 Rangers L – O
(2)4-2-0 Penguins W- L
(2)5-1-0 Islanders W -W

The Flyers still finish ahead of the Caps. And if we’re going to talk about the Caps beating a very hot Panthers twice or sneaking one from the Canes then we need to look at winning both against the pens, stealing a point against NJ and maybe winning one more against the Rags…

Sorry…it’s not over…

  Tim Panaccio is at it again, fanning the flames of self-loathng and disappointment as is all too popular in Flyer-land, this morning in the Philadelphia Inquirer.

 http://www.philly.com/philly/sports/flyers/20080314_Caps_lurking_in_Flyers_shadow.html

Panaccio reports that the Washington Capitals are now breathing down the Flyers collective necks and that the boys in Orange and Black are likely to miss the playoffs. Why is that? Well according to Tim the remaining schedule favors the Caps.

The Flyers sit in the 8^th seed with 79 points and 11 games left to play. The Capitals are in 10^th place with 74 points and 11 games left to play. Tim presents an argument with more holes than a wooden boy staked to a termite mound.

Of the Flyers’ 11 games, nine are in the division, where they are just 11-10-2.

The New Jersey Devils and New York Rangers are their biggest obstacles, with two games against each. They are 1-5-0 against the Devils and 1-3-2 against the Rangers.

Assume the Flyers win both games against the New York Islanders, against whom they are 5-1-0, and two of three against Pittsburgh, against whom they are 4-1-0. That’s eight division points.

There are two non-divisional games, against Boston and Atlanta. They are 1-1-1 against the Bruins and 3-0-0 against the Thrashers. Assume the Flyers lose to the Bruins and defeat the Thrashers.

That leaves the Flyers with 89 points. That won’t cut it.

His scenario gives the Flyers 5 wins, upping the season total to 40 and giving the Flyers 89 points. The Caps would have to accumulate 90 or more points to take the spot in this scenario that is 16 of a possible 22 points.

The absolute worst the Caps can do and accumulate 16 points? 5-0-6

Is it realistic to believe the Caps won’t lose a game in regulation for the remainder of the year?

If the Caps lose 1 game? 6-1-4

If the Caps lose 2 games? 7-2-2

If the Caps lose 3 games? 8-3-0

What’s Tim say about what the Caps have left?

Eight of the Capitals’ 11 remaining games are within their division, where they are 10-9-0.

The Caps, who trail the Flyers by five points, could sweep Atlanta, Florida and Tampa Bay and lose twice to Carolina. But they also have games against Nashville and Chicago. Factor in two wins and that gives the Caps at least 90 points.

The Flyers who are 11-10-2 against their division are doomed, but the Caps who are 10-9-0 against their division have an easier go of it? Panacio suggest the Panthers could go 8-3-0? With losses possible too the Canes and the Predators who are fighting for a playoff spot as well.

Amazingly the Caps are 2-2-2 this season against the Thrashers but let’s count on a sweep. They are 2-3-1 against the Panthers and 4-2 against the Lightning.

I’ll give Panaccio credit for one thing; he knows his audience loves unnecessary hand wringing and gloom. No doubt many a Flyer Fan has picked up his article and nodded along, forgetting that this guy’s opinions on hockey are about as close to factual as the Comic Strip BC is to the history of the world.

If you’re still looking for things to fret about, may I suggest that the Thrashers could win all 10 of their remaining games and finish with 90 points, the Islanders could do likewise and finish with 91, The leafs could win all of their remaining games and finish with 94 and….

The Florida Panthers who are tied with the Caps with 1 fewer game to play could just easily swoop down on our 8^th seed with 3 or fewer losses…

I’m just wondering why Tim didn’t mention Boston who sits in 7^th place, 1 point ahead of the Flyers with an equal number of games remaining. The Bruins have lost 4 of their last 7 and have collected a whopping 4 of 14 possible points. I’m sorry, didn’t mean to poke a ray of sunshine thru the clouds of despair.

The self-loathing of Philadelphia Flyers fans has reached a new low.

The Flyers, 4 games and 8 points out of the division and Eastern conference lead not only suffer from being the worst team in the league with an abysmal coach and no hope of keeping hold of a playoff spot, even after going 5-2-3 in the last 10

 Now to make sure the festering self-hatred and drama continues, it turns out that injuries to players like Simon Gagne, Joffrey Lupul and Mike Richards aren’t really bad.

 Make no mistake Gagne the multi-time 40 goal scorer will play 25 games this season, he has been shelved for the year. Joffrey Lupul has talied 39 points in 45 games and maintains a spot in the Flyers top 10 scorers, of course the Flyers have played 71 games. Mike Richards the Flyers leading scorer when he was injured 9 games ago maintains that position for the team, Daniel Briere with 8 more games played sits 5 points behind.

Sidney Crosby missed 22 games this season, being a better player his 22 games trumps Gagne’s 46 and eventual 57. As mentioned before the Flyers sit 4 games and 8 points behind the Penguins for the division and conference lead. Certainly the Flyers have had an easier time of things missing Gagne for 24 more games because well…Crosby’s more talented and 22 Crosby games is like a bajillion anybody else games.

 Joe Sakic has missed 38 games this season. His Avalanche are battling for their division, of course the division is being led by a team with 82 points. 4 teams in the Northwest are within 2 points of the division title and the guaranteed 3 seed. The other 3 teams along with 2 others in the conference will fight for the final 3 spots.

Joe Sakic’s 38 games missed are, of course, more important than the 46 missed by Gagne. Well because Sakic is better than Gagne. Never mind that the 8 games difference between the two stars is enough to put the Flyers atop the conference…Joe Sakic is a better player so it doesn’t matter how many games are actually missed.

 Yup, you’ve got it number of games lost doesn’t matter just ‘talent’. After all the really talented guys earn 4 or 5 points per win  for their team not the stipulated 2.

 The burning question, Briere missed 1 game, Richards has missed 9. Which one hurts more Briere has the reputation while Richards has the production this year. Chances are losing Briere for 1 game is far more devastating after all in Philly it’s not about what’s happening but the perception and the reputation.

 Just look at Jesse Boulerice, he’s played 5 games this year but people carry-on as if he’s been dressed for 50.

Smith and Knuble have to go. Kappanen can stay.

 Last year the Sabres wanted to kill Ovechkin for the kind of hit thrown on Carter.

…to the Avalanche.

 TSN reports that Forsberg has signed with Colorado.

 http://tsn.ca/nhl/news_story/?ID=230555&hubname=

“The Colorado Avalanche have won the ‘Peter Forsberg sweepstakes’, signing the centre to a one-year deal to return to the team for the rest of the season.”

I hope to do a few of these as we get close to the deadline, in no way am I singling out Smith. With all of the rumours swirling around the Flyers looking for more blueline help, someone is going to have to go, starting with UFAs makes sense.

 The Flyers have Timonen, Coburn, Parent, Hatcher, Kukkonen and Gauthier under contract for next season. That’s roughly 15 million dollars in cap space (which isn’t bad considering Edmonton is may tie up 10 million in Souray and Pitkanen.)

Smith, along with Jones, is a UFA. He’s rumored to be seeking a long-term contract above his current 1.976 million dollar cap number.

 With Gauthier already signed, younger and a physical 3rd pair dman, do we need Smith? Smith is a grizzled veteran, he brings a snarl to the team but his body has already shown signs of weakening this season. Is Smith more valuable long-term with this club or bringing more picks/prospects to a farm that still needs replenishing.

 The Flyers need more mobility and puck moving ability on the blueline. They also need to grow young leaders and abandon the practice of importing leadership. Can Smith bring you back a young puck mover? Probably not, at-least not one that’s rostered. He can bring you back a quality pick in the first 2 rounds and/or a strong prospect.

 Teams like Detroit looking to bolster the roster as injuries slow them down in the final quarter of the season might be eager to get a guy like Smith with his mythic reputation. While still smarting from the Bertuzzi pick-up last a guy like Smith is hard to pass-on if Holmgren looks to make a reasonable trade and not a grand slam.

Nine Games, that’s all it takes for everything to go from Utopian Garden to Anarchy.

 The best part about Flyers fans, it’s no ones fault and everyones fault. You can’t blame Briere, but what has Jeff Carter done? Injuries are a big excuse for a number of under-performers but not reason enough for the coach to have trouble finding a functional roster. Want to see hypocrisy in action? Visit a Flyers message-board.

In January, arguably the team’s most successful month, it was all the rage for fans to single out players like Carter and Vandermeer. Jim Dowd has been a victim and Riley Cote has suffered his most embarrassing defeat to anonymous board members. Yet when the critical eye turns to Danny Briere many of the same critics trip over themselves to make excuses. It’s a team thing when the criticism falls on the small shoulders of the 6.5 million dollar man.

 Yet when Scott Hartnell was under the gun for uninspired play and a perceived lack of caring, it wasn’t about team. It was about how undeserving he was of a big money contract. He was a bust to many of the same fans.

  How is Briere different? Small, one-dimensional and living off a single season of ‘elite’ production Briere has become a favorite much the same-way McNabb is beyond reproach. It’s never his fault, it’s everyone else. The perception of skill outweighs the realities of performance. Surely a guy earning 10 million couldn’t be that bad, could he?

 Well sure he could but, not if he’s on a Philadelphia roster (unless his name is Pat Burrel, then it’s OK to criticize). Flyers fans and Philly fans in general will tell you how many guys are overpaid busts on other teams but not in Philly those big money guys just don’t have a team around them. It’s everyone else.

 It’s a sad day for the faithful, reputation has become more valuable than performance. It’s why Primeau is hailed as a warrior and Lindros vilified as a bust. Congratulations to Danny Briere, your reputation is more valuable than anything you do on the ice.

Anthony SanFilippo of the Delco Times tips off the Flyers faithful of a 25k fine for Hextall Night levied by the NHL. The Flyers took a unique approach to honoring the former Goaltender and Front Office member, using the first intermission to induct him into the Flyers Hall of Fame.

Delco Times Hextall Night Fine article by Anthony SanFilippo

The sky is falling! the sky is falling!
Flyers ‘fans’ scurry about in a panic
Five in a row, Five in a row!
Doom, we’re doomed!

The Rangers, the Caps and the Thrashers
are only 5 points away!
We’ll be in 12th place and out of the playoffs
before the week is out!

So what if we’ve got 2 on the Rags
2 on the Thrash and 1 on the Caps?!
Haven’t you heard, THE SKY IS FALLING!
THE SKY IS FALLING!

Five points?! We’re talking Five points!
That’s not a cushion, that’s not a lead!
We are not safe!
Doom, we’re doomed!

I don’t want to hear what you say,
can’t you see I’m in a tither
So what if the Sens are only eight points away!
We’ll never close that kind of gap, not even with a game in hand!

We’re eight points out of the Conference lead
and four points out of the Division, with a game in hand on everyone!
Can’t you see how we’re doomed?
The Sun has set, the sky has fallen.

With teams closing in, our five point gap and games in hand,
won’t be enough to hold off the Caps, the Thrash and the Rags.
Five points is no way to make a stand.
Five points can’t keep a lead safe.